Coded filing and retrieval system

ABSTRACT

A filing and retrieval system whereby alphabetic name and titles are interpreted by numeric code. This can be done by following a set of rules manually. The encoding of words including names is characterized in the dividing of the word into phonic sounds, irrespective of the actual spelling of the word, and the assignment of a numeric code to each phonic sound excepting the first sound, followed by the filing of items bearing the numeric code in serial order, without regard to the spelling of the word, thereby permitting the retrieval of a filed item even if the exact spelling is not known.

United States Patent [191 Ekeland [s41 CODED FILING AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM [76] Inventor: Thomas C. Ekeland, 45 John Street,

Brooklyn, N.Y. 10038 [52] US. Cl. ..35/24 R, 283/36 [51 1 Int. Cl. .t ..G09b 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..35/24 R, 2; 40/359,

[56] References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1919 Schmidt ..283/36 1 Apr, 17, 1973 1,685,206 9/1928 Wagner ..40/78.l5

Primary Examiner-Wm. H. Grieb Attorney-Charles E. Temko 57 ABSTRACT A filing and retrieval system whereby alphabetic name and titles are interpreted by numeric code. Thiscan be done by following a set of rules manually. The encoding of words including names is characterized in the dividing of the word into phonic sounds, irrespective of the actual spelling of the word, and the assignment of a numeric code to each phonicsound excepting the first sound, followed by the filing of items bearing the numeric code in serial order, without re gard to the spelling of the word, thereby permitting the retrieval of a tiled item even if the exact spelling is not known.

3 Claims, No Drawings CODED FILING AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM This application is a continuation in part of my corresponding application, Ser. No. 65,310, filed Aug. 19, I970 now abandoned.

The problems of alphabetic filing have always been great. The training of clerks for skillful alphabetic filing is long and expensive, and the file clerk, for all her special skills, has been regarded as low echelon, and accordingly she has been low paid in comparison with stenographers,secretaries, and other female positions. C'omparativelyfew males are engaged in filing work. The problem of retaining skilled file clerks grows steadily because of their attraction to other better paid positions which often are less exacting and demanding for patience, tedium, and concentration. Name filing and retrieval is complicated with any alphabetic system because each letter of the name or names must be sequentially filed in strict alphabetic arrangement for each character. The least error in spelling or misreading can result in misfiling, which may make retrieval almost impossible.

The disclosed system translates to numbers the alphabetic names. Because the system is a short-cut to filing, certain parts of names are treated differently from ordinary alphabetic filing.

It istherefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved filing and retrieval system, which permits greater speed in both filing and retrieval than has heretofore been the case with alphabetic systems.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved filing and retrieval system capable of greater accuracy than has been the case with alphabetic systems.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved filing and retrieval system of the class described permitting a positive system of audit.

These objects, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progressof the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, in the present system, the alphabet is classed into IO basic sounds. Immediately, instead of 26 possible sequences for alphabetic characters, there are only 10. This reduces substantially the number of possible filling sequences for each name. The l sonic classifications involve the consonants only. The vowels and h" and y are ignored because they are practically noncontributory to. the sound of a name or syllable, the exceptions being the aspirate h as in Hansen or the sound ofy" as in Young". Although h" preceded by 0 (making ch") results in the chay" sound, for purposes of coding, the c" is sufficient, and in most names the h is not sounded, as in Dwight,"

Light, and Wright. The y is most often used as a vowel as in Blayder," Blyth," Bay," and Holly."

In teaching the sounds of English letters, the vowels are expressed a" as in at," e as eh," as ih," o as oh, and u" as 00. A consonant is expressed as if a vowel follows it. For example, the 1" is pronounced el but phonetically it is pronounced leh; m is pronounced em, but phonetically meh; b is pronounced bee but phonetically beh;" g" is pronounced jee, but phonetically geh. In the Pitman shorthand system, for uniformity all sounds are expressed with the long A, b pronounced bay," p pronounced pay, pronounced lay," etc. For uniformity, I have done the same with the disclosed system.

In order to sound the letter b, we say in English Bee," in French Bay, in German Beh. Thus the name Bendix," omitting the vowels to spell Bndx" would sound similar whether pronounced Bayndax," Behndex,Bandox," or Beendex.

In filing, for example, the name Bendix strictly alphabetically among a large series of names, each of the six letters has 26 possible sequences. In the instant filing, the name Bndx" has only 10 possible sequences for four translated characters. Now if Bndx" is translated to 18-30 to read eighteen-thirty," it is easily sorted and interfiled with other names similarly coded in paired-off numbers. If the word were Pentix rather than Bendix, it would be assigned the same code number, and would be filed in the sameplace.

Because numbers are easier to read, remember, sort, and file than a series of alphabetic letters, the instant system reduces misfiles and increases the speed of filing.

Although index guides will assist in finding ones place in an alphabetic file, careful discrimination still has to be made among names filed behind any one guide. In fact, careful discrimination must be made to find the correct guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the inveption, the system deals with 10 digits, zero through nine, which are assigned to alphabetic characters as follows:

Code No. Lettcr(s) Sounds Like 1 hp y. P y

2 c, g, k, q cay, kay, gay, quay 3 d, 1 day, my

4 I, v w fay, vay, way 5 I l y 6 I lay 7 m may 8 n nay 9 r ray say, xay, zuy

It will be observed that letters are grouped together number for all.

Alphabetic letters are coded for basic phonic sounds only. Because the vowels a," e, i," and u and the letters h and y are not basic phonic sounds, they are ignored.

Because a single or double consonant forms the same basic phonic sound, double consonants are coded as a single phonic. Likewise, different consonants which produce the same phonic sound, if they are in juxtaposition, are coded as a single phonic.

cation of non-contributory sounds. However, of corollary importance is the unique treatment of names, not as separate surname, given, and middle names, but as whole names. Without this corollary technique, the numerals contained in a given code could not be limited to six (not that many names are coded in less than six.)

For example, Kaye, Danny" a compound name of nine letters, translates to 38." Or to use an example cited by Wagner, Smith, George Stewart," a compound name of 18 letters, translates in the disclosed system to 73-29-20." The abbreviatory process is of great significance in filing and cannot be accomplished in any system of coding each letter.

Personal names are coded surname first, followed by first name and initials. The code treats surname, first name and initials as though they are one name, the digits simply being set offin pairs.

Example: Code:

Anderson, Jack P.

expressed as A83 95 21 The surname retains its first alpha character followed by three numeric codes. The given (first) name gets three numeric codes also. If not all six digits have been used, any initials are picked up by the code.

Abt, Oswald C.

A13 04 63 Abt, Joseph L.

A13 5 0 1 6 Abbott, Worthington Al 3 4 93 Example: Code: Example: Code: Example: Code:

expressed asA13 04 63 expressed as A 13 50 expressed as A13 49 3 The instant system does not involve alphabetic filing at all. The numeric equivalents of the phonetic sounds are filed according to the primary pair of numerals. Thus, in the translated names system nor is it employed in the filing process. The

unique combination of the root phonetics translate into a unique combination of numerals, and filing is done only according to the number, not by letter.

In very large alphabetic files involving identical personal names, the coder may suffix the trans-sonic code with up to three numerals of the house number, or in the absence of a house number, the Post Office Box number, or the trans-sonic code for the'street, road or highway.

Example: Smith, John 139 Main St.,

Buffalo, NY. Code: S 73 58 (139) Example: Smith, John P. O. Box 212 Poughkeepsie, NY. Code: S 73 58 (212) Example: Smith, John Allenville, Nebr., Code: S 73 58 (684) While the foregoing deals with personal names, the disclosed system applies also to impersonal names. For impersonal (firm) names, the first name of the title retains its first alpha character (subject to the modifying rules herein) followed by three numeric codes.

If the first word ofa title requires less than three numeric codes, we continue to code the following name to a maximum of three numeric codes. If this does not complete the code (alpha plus six numeric), we continue to code successive words to complete the code. If there are no successive words, we code the succeeding second word or the first word to the limit of the six numeric codes.

Example Ace Comb Corp. Code: A2 2 71 Example: Arch Accounting & Statistical Corp. Code: A92 2 83 0 Example: International Telephone & Telegraph Co. Code: 18 3 6 l 3 6 Example: Ackerson Bus C0.

A2 90 8 1 0 Example: Expositions, lnc. Code: E01 0 3 The following words are ignored: a, and, &,"

by," for," from, into," of," for," onto, to," with, company, Co., lncorporated," lnc.," Limited,l..td.

Unless they are the first word of a title, the following words are ignored: Associate(s), Associated, Association, Bank, Board," Bureau," Chamber, Central,Church, Committee," Commission(ers)," Grand," Great(er)," Consolidated, Federation, Foundation," lnstitute," Organization," Society," State(s)," United, Street, Avenue,"Road," Highway," Parkway.

If they are the first word of a title, they are coded by retaining the first alpha character followed by one numeric digit for the succeeding letter.

Example: Associated Investors Code: A0 84 03 9 Investors Associates Code: 184 0 Hyphenated and compound names are treated as one .,word.

Example: Mel-Tee, Stan-ray Example: 150 Broadway Corp. Code: N150 l9 3 Example: 500 Fifth Avenue Corp. Code: N500 5 Titles expressed in spelled out numbers are treated as though they were written in numerals and are given the alpha letter N for number followed by the spelled out number expressed in numerals.

Example: One Twenty Broadway Corp. Code: N .1 20 l9 8 Example: Sixty Eighth Street Theatre Code: N 60 8 3 39 Compound place names (those representing towns or cities are usually so identified in the address city) are treated as one word unless part of the name is a compass point.

Example: Rocky Mountain Express Co. Code: R 2 t 7 8 019 Example: Central Park Laundry Code: C 8 l9 6 83 Example: Port of New York Authority Code: P 93 8 4 9 3 Example: Palo Alto Plumbing Supply Co. Code: I 6 63 l6 7 Example: East Haddam Supermarket Code: E l 9 Names prefixed'AAA, AAAA," BBB," etc., used to get preferred directory listing, only the first letter retains its alpha character and the succeeding letters are ignored.

AAAA Window Cleaners Example: Code: A 4 83 26 8 Example: ABC Automotive Parts Co. Code: Al2 3 7 3 4 Numbers are set off in pairs beginning after the first alpha letter.

With a number filing system, the maximum six digits, paired-off, are quickly read, remembered, and interfiled among other numbers.

In a series of numbers paired-off, such as the pair to the left is the primary pair, the next pair secondary, and the third pair (if any) tertiary. lnterfiling of numbers is fast and accurate, and in a large file, set up with primary guides, the file clerk is looking only for the first pair, say 20. Secondary guides in the file would lead her to, for example 40, and the only fine-filing necessary is for the third pair, and that only in a very large file sequence because one file for each of four digits is already 10,000 files.

It may thus be seen that my system offers many advantages over conventional alphabetic systems. -With straight line alphabetic filing, the only augmentative device which is available is an alphabetic guide system. An alphabetic guide system can :range from the simplest one of 24 guides signals A through W plus one for X, Y, Z, to a system of guides ranging from 40 divisions and up to a thousand or more divisions. But even in a large guide system where the letter B is guided for Ba, Bab, Bac, Bad, Baf, Bag, Bah, Bai, etc., not only does the preliminary fine-sorting of a large number of documents or folders involve a painstaking and laborious process of multiple sorts, but extra time and care to interfile the documents within the exact guide position is necessary.

The conversion of alphabetic filing to a numeric system allows the introduction of several new augmentative devices and techniques to simplify and speed up the filing system.

Firstly, the system of paired-off numbers, makes reading easier, quick, and more accurate. With a six digit number set out in three pairs, at large volume of papers can be quickly sorted down into the 100 possible divisions of the first pair. At the file, the papers are quickly interfiled for the second pair of numbers (whether into tens or ones, depending on the extensiveness of the file system).

Secondly, the use of color coding (a color representing each number zero through nine") becomes possible. The colored sticker or other designation affixed to the exposed edge of a file: folder immediately exposes misfiling. If for example, a red sticker stands for .7 and a blue for 9, all files with primary digits 79 would be colored alike. A wrong number would be exposed immediately. In large file sequences, the secondary pair of numbers can be similarly identified by color.

Thirdly, numeric filing makes possible the use of electro-mechanical sensing and retrieval systems which, because of the complexity of alphabetic sensing,

are limited to number systems.

Fourthly, the filing and retrieval code, once established for an account name, can be affixed to all outgoing correspondence, invoices, and other .documents either as a permanent reference number or as part of any other identifying number, such as an account number. Placed on outgoing invoices and order confirmations, for instance, in the name and address box, the number would be on the thousands of carbon copies which daily have to be filed by account name in thousands of business firms each day.

Fifthly, the system can be programmed into a small machine which, when the name is typed out, translates and writes out the filing and retrieval code, whether on a label, a title insert strip, .or on a document.

Sixthly, a straight alphabetic file system of any considerable size, is almost impossible of audit. A misfiled folder is usually lost until it is accidentally discovered when interfiling something adjacent to the misfiled folder. No system of auditing strict alphabetic files except by meticulous review, one-by-one is possible. The disclosed system, filed by pairs of numbers, greatly reduces the chance of misfiling and furthermore, with the enabling of color coding, provides a quick means of audit. Because the system translates alphabetic names into a number code according to known fixed rules, any code number can be reconstructed without consulting a reference-number log book or index such as is required for a non-meaningful sequential number system used for licenses, insurance policies, and liability claims.

Where required, the concept and principles of the lclaim:

1. The method of alpha-numerically encoding an alphabetic filing system of individual items including dividing a word to be encoded into phonic sounds, assigning a digital number to at least one sound following the initial sound in accordance with a preestablished pattern classifying the phonic sounds by the manner in which it is vocally produced, and filing coded items in accordance with the assigned digital numbers, irrespecsystem can also be e and d t a larger number, if 10 tive of the initial letter of the encoded word, and the needed, for example, to deal with a multi-million namefile system such as for governmental agencies, credit cards, or travel checks business.

It will be observed that because of the phonic sound relationship of the assigned code, it is possible to retrieve items which have been encoded using the last name of an individual, even where the exact spelling of the name is not determined. Although in all circumstances, the initial letter of the encoded word is included in the code, the items are physically filed on a strictly numerical basis, so that, for example, the name Kahn, will be readily located, irrespective of whether the retriever assumes the name is spelled Cahn," K- han, etc.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

spelling thereof.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, in which said pattern translates:

Code No. Lettcr(s) l h, p 2 c, g, k, q 3 d, l 4 l, v, w 5 ,i 6 l 7 m 8 n 9 r 0 s, x, 7.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, in which each digit is assigned a distinct color, and correspondingly colored stickers are affixed to said items to facilitate auditing of a group of items for misfiling. 

1. The method of alpha-numerically encoding an alphabetic filing system of individual items including dividing a word to be encoded into phonic sounds, assigning a digital number to at least one sound following the initial sound in accordance with a preestablished pattern classifying the phonic sounds by the manner in which it is vocally produced, and filing coded items in accordance with the assigned digital numbers, irrespective of the initial letter of the encoded word, and the spelling thereof.
 2. The method in accordance with claim 1, in which said pattern translates: Code No. Letter(s) 1 b, p 2 c, g, k, q 3 d, t 4 f, v, w 5 j 6 l 7 m 8 n 9 r 0 s, x, z
 3. The method in accordance with claim 1, in which each digit is assigned a distinct color, and correspondingly colored stickers are affixed to said items to facilitate auditing of a group of items for misfiling. 